I’m not an authority on how the world works or what anyone should think. I just have opinions, often supported by facts, or at times supported by nothing more than my own core beliefs.

So in saying that, if you disagree with anything I say, you’re entitled to respond, and that’s how a democracy works.

Authority is something that affects every single person on the planet, at almost every moment of every day.

While you drive a car, authority says you cannot exceed the speed limit. That’s authority.

When you park your car in a parking lot, you stick between the lines in the parking space, because authority says so.

Hopefully you had your seat belt on too while driving, because authority says that’s a requirement as well.

Get to the point

I had an important meeting this morning that I couldn’t miss.

A meeting with another authority. Corrections.

Arriving at the bus stop, I’m approached by yet another authority.

The fucking Bus Stop Gestapo again, and on this occasion, there were bloody heaps of them, perhaps 8 , maybe 10.

The conversation went something like this.

“Mate, you cannot smoke here”.

“Where”?

“At the bus stop”.

“But I’m actually standing nowhere near the bus stop. Sure, I’m like 2 metres away from the actual bus stop sign…”

Meaning the sign on the pole, out on the footpath, signalling where the bus stop actually is, not his preferred sign.

The moment I said the word sign, he interrupts me…

“You see that sign”, he says as he points to a sign about 4 metres away, on the back wall of the bus stop.

“It’s a no smoking sign”.

“So what’s the problem?”, I ask.

“You cannot smoke here”, he says again, repeating himself like a mindless drone.

Reality time

“Mate, I understand what you’re saying, and may I politely suggest you’re being a little over-authoritative here. I am not sitting inside the bus stop, I am standing out here on the footpath. If my smoking offends you, because there’s actually nobody else here with me that I can see, then why did you walk over to me”?

By this stage, not only had about 5 more of his ball busting Gestapo mates walked over to join him, I also noticed right behind me I had attracted a little fan club of my own, albeit two little old ladies, probably just waiting for the same bus for all I knew, but they were observing, listening, and one gave me a cheeky get ’em tiger type smile when I made eye contact with them.

So now I’m surrounded by the Gestapo punks, and he keeps going at me…

“You need to stand away from the bus stop”.

“I already am mate. And that is why you and I seem not to be getting along this morning”.

One of the other Gestapo spoke up to provide some backup.

“Mate, just walk away”.

“Why? Because you said so? My bus is due in about two minutes, I am not in the bus stop, I am well away from the no smoking zone, so either you’re going to continue to carry on like an over-authoritative bunch of idiots, or we’re about to clash, and I guess I’ll be outnumbered. Is that what you want”?

He started looking at his shoes by this stage, probably thinking this wasn’t going to be easy., or could get really messy if they persisted with their silliness.

I took advantage of his silence to test his sense of humour, and borrowed a line from the fantastic but little known Australian comedy series, Swift & Shift Couriers.

“Stand Down Gestapo!”

And then my bus arrived just in time… thank you, so I got on, leaving the Gestapo to walk away without a response.

The two little old ladies boarded the bus also, with one saying to me “It’s about time somebody stood up to them, even though I don’t think you should be smoking, because it’s bad for your health.”

Oh here we go again eh? Another authority, on health this time!

Rather than think this little old lady wanted to get all authoritative at me over the smoking debate, I smiled and replied,

“He was wrong, and he realised that, and if nobody stands up to them, then eventually they begin believing they can actually harass people and that’s not on“.

She nodded, then said “But you’re wrong too, by smoking. It’s bad for you”.

I just let her win. She’s right, and backed by facts. Smoking kills folks.

So off I went to visit my next encounter with authority, Corrections, because if i don’t comply with them, then I go back to the place where authority is in your face 24×7, prison!

And to top the morning off, when I get off the bus at the other end, I am greeted by even more Gestapo, and the little old lady reaches them before me and says to them “Leave this bloke alone because he’s already had a run in with you people this morning“.

And I just smiled and walked off saying nothing, with a spring in my step, hoping that my previous encounter perhaps might have given her the courage or inspiration to speak up as well and tell it like it is 😀

Respect authority, but when it’s wrong, question it, or even challenge it.

Because when things get over-authoritative, shit like fascism is the end result, and that works well eh?

The way Australia is heading, maybe we’ll find out for ourselves eventually.